Ghosts from the Past
by JPM1978
Summary: Miguel Castillo prefers his average, quiet life over his parent's fast-paced careers. But sometimes the past just can't stay hidden.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Miguel Castillo, Alison Castillo, Ryan Rivera, Jake & Alicia Ballard, and Roni Tubbs all belong to RedRose85. Be sure to check out her Miami Vice stories!**

I pounded on the bathroom door. "Alison! C'mon, hurry up!" Anxiously I stepped backwards toward my bedroom door and glanced at the clock. "It's already 7:00!"

"I'm not finished, Miguel! Why are you always so impatient?" My sister called back, her voice echoing over the sound running water.

"Ali, I gotta pee!" I cried. I'd been sharing a bathroom with my sister practically my whole life. And lately it not only meant having to deal with her million bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and makeup, but also required a bladder the size of the Atlantic.

"Tough luck! I'm naked, go use Mom and Dad's bathroom!"

I groaned in frustration. Every damn morning, it was the same thing. Oh well, at least I could grab some breakfast while Ali wrapped up her beauty routine. I ran down the spiral staircase, jumping off the second to last step just as I always did. In the kitchen, I kissed my mother good morning and grabbed a box of Fruit Loops from the pantry and milk from the fridge. As I sat at the table, My father looked up from his newspaper and eyed me disapprovingly. I couldn't really blame him. My hair was messy, I was unshaven, and the loose sweat shorts and Miami Beach Senior High Orchestra t-shirt I wore as pajamas probably didn't smell great.

"Miguel, you're not dressed," he pointed out.

"Yeah well, Her Majesty is taking her sweet time in the shower," I replied taking a bite of the colorful cereal.

My father shook his head and turned back to the paper. "The water bill is going to be high again, Gina."

"Calm down, Martin. You know it takes a bit longer for us ladies to get ready in the morning." Her bright smile was infectious, even to my dad, and they exchanged a kiss.

My father turned back to me, stirring the steaming cup of green tea in front of him. "I'm actually glad you came down a little early, Miguel, I wanted to talk to you about something."

I felt my whole body tense as I slid down in my chair. What did I do this time? Ali and I hadn't had an argument in over a week. Not a real one, anyway. I was getting straight A's as always and nobody ever had to remind me to keep up with my violin practice, so that couldn't be it. I never snuck out of the house or stayed out past curfew (not that I went out much anyway). Maybe I was in for another lecture on trying to get along with Jake Ballard? That guy was such a pain. "Whatever it is, Jake started it!" I blurted out.

My parents both tilted their heads, staring at me in confusion. Then the corner of dad's mouth turned up, hinting at a small smile. "Relax, Miguel. You're not in trouble." I felt my shoulders relax a little. "There's someone new moving to Miami. She is a…" he paused a moment, as though he were trying to find a word to describe this person. "She's an old friend. Her name is May Ying and her company transferred her to their office here, so she and her son just moved from San Francisco."

My mother nodded. "Her son is your age, Miguel, and he'll be going to your school. We were hoping you could show him around, maybe be a friend to him."

Oh great. My mom was always trying to get me to be more social like my sister. So now I was stuck playing tour guide to some random from California? No thanks. But before I could open my mouth to express my distaste for this little arrangement, I saw my father's eyes, boring straight through me. I knew I was stuck.

But on the other hand, something had me intrigued. I had a great relationship with my dad- we shared a love of chess and baseball, and he often took me fishing. Unlike my mother, he understood my need for occasional solitude and didn't push me into social situations like my mother. But despite our closeness, my father never talked about his past, not ever. Not his family, not his childhood, not even his career before joining the Miami police department. I had heard he had once worked in Southeast Asia, but that was it. Who was this mysterious "friend"? Maybe I'd learn something about my dad from this guy.

"Oh fine. I'll do it." I grumbled unenthusiastically, taking another bite of cereal.

"Excellent Miguel, I'm sure you and Ethan will get along well."

"Morning everyone!" Ali's chipper voice distracted my parents' attention as she flounced down the stairs. "And who's Ethan?"

"I dunno, some friend of Dad's," I mumbled, then slurped up the rest of my cereal. Leave it to Ali to be interested in some guy.

Mom handed Ali a glass of orange juice. "His mother is an old friend from Thailand. His father died a few years ago, and they just moved from San Francisco. Miguel is going to be showing him around school."

"Fun! That's great Mig! Ever since Eric and Sophia started going out, you've had a lot of free time."

I shot Ali a dirty look. Why was everyone always pointing out what a loner I was? I had friends! Just because I didn't have a fake ID and try to sneak out all the time didn't make me a loser. "For your information, Alison, I have three AP classes, SAT's next month, and constant rehearsals for the spring concert. I do _not_ have tons of free time. Now I'd better take a shower before I have to meet this new kid." I stood and dropped my dishes in the sink.

"Perfect, May Ying told Ethan to meet you by the library before first period." My father folded his newspaper and took a sip of tea.

I knew better than to argue, my father would not be defied, and I did want to make him happy. Oh well, it couldn't hurt to show this kid around school. No doubt he came to Miami expecting glamour, parties, and hot cars- not to hang out with an orchestra nerd like myself. Soon he'd meet his own friends and I'd be left alone to my old, boring life where nothing ever happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Be sure to read "Calderone's Return (The Final Run)" by Yinyang754 for background on Ali and Miguel's encounter with Calderone.**

Walking into school was the same as always. Britt and Jake along with their football and cheerleader followers were on the front lawn pushing around some poor nerd. Oh well, better him than me. Inside the front doors, by friend Eric stopped making out with his new girlfriend Sophia just long enough to say 'hi.' The hallways were bustling with activity, and I craned my neck over the crowd of passing students to see if there was anyone by the library doors.

Ali saw him first, a scrawny kid about my height with shaggy brownish-black hair. His uniform was crisp and new and he stared at a piece of paper. He had 'new kid' written all over him. He looked up and must have recognized Ali and I right away because he started waving at us wildly.

"Hey! You must be Miguel and Alison… I'm Ethan Thomas."

Ali reached out and gave him a warm hug. "We can't wait to show you around!"

I frowned. Ali's idea of "showing people around" probably involved sneaking out to some South Beach club. On the other hand, I was grateful to her for breaking the ice. Often in these situations I felt a bit awkward.

Ethan grinned at her. "It's so great to finally meet some people. I mean, I spent the whole weekend unpacking and watching all the Star Wars movies. Could be worse, but always nice to have friends around!"

"Miguel loves Star Wars!" Ali pointed out oh-so helpfully.

I felt my face turn beet red. "Ali, I don't like Star Wars _that_ much." Did she need to identify me as the school's #1 nerd right out the gate?

"Um, I believe you have bedsheets that say differently," she giggled.

I felt my face turn red. "Shut up, Ali!" I hissed. "Besides, the bell is supposed to ring soon. I'm sure Ethan would love for us to help him find his first class.

He glanced at the paper in his hand. "Looks like I have AP English first."

"Oh! Then you're in Miguel's class. He'll show you the way. See you guys later!" In a flash, Ali was lost in the crowd and I was left to make awkward small-talk with this kid as we walked to class.

"Your sister's cute." He remarked.

"Yeah, well, stay away from her," I warned. "She's- she's been through a lot this year." I didn't feel a need to explain everything that had happened with Calderone. partly because I still wanted to push that far away in the back of my own mind. It was too painful to revisit. "

Ethan held up his hands. "Ah, the overprotective big brother, I get it. No worries, I'd be the same way if weren't an only child. So, what else should I know about Miami Beach Senior High?"

I turned to face him. "It's a total hellhole where the football players rule just because they can throw some stupid ball around, and if you're smart enough to be able to do anything beyond spell your own name correctly, you can look forward to being thrown in a trash can, bathroom, or over a fence on a daily basis. Any other questions?"

Ethan nodded and stifled a laugh. "Well, you're a cheery one, aren't you?"

"I try."

He quickly changed the subject as we took our seats in the classroom. "So, any idea of how our parents know each other? My mom was a little vague about it."

I shrugged. "Join the club. My dad never talks about his past."

"Maybe…" Ethan began, but he was cut off by the bell ringing to start class.

For the remainder of the morning, I helped Ethan find his way around, and did my best to keep up conversation so I wouldn't look like a complete geek. At first I was annoyed that this guy hung on me like a cheap suit, but we did have many of the same classes and actually had a lot in common. Maybe hanging out with this guy wouldn't be so horrible after all.

At the end of the day, we walked back to my place to work on calculus. We had a test coming up, and I had offered to help him catch up to our class.

"So, that girl that sat with us at lunch…"

"Roni Tubbs?" I guessed.

"Yeah! So how long have you guys been going out?"

I snorted. "Me? Are you kidding? She and I have been friends since she was born. Roni's really cute, but I'm not really the dating type." This was something my sister reminded me of on a daily basis. My world revolved around my violin and schoolwork- I felt safe that way and I constantly told myself I didn't have time for anything else.

"C'mon! I saw how she was looking at you." He reached in his backpack and pulled out a flyer printed on bright pink paper. "Look at this- Valentine Dance! Why not ask her to go with you?"

"I dunno, man."

"Think about it. And maybe I'll ask Ali." I glared at him and he quickly added, "Just as friends."

"Yeah, well not so sure about Ali. She's obsessed over this moron Ryan Rivera who's always lurking around the house. He's 21 and says he's just a 'friend', but the way she drools over him and his stupid Trans-Am I'm not so sure."

Ethan shook his head. "That guy sounds like a real douche."

"Sure is." I grumbled. Ethan was okay, he was an excellent judge of character.

When we reached my front yard, he paused a moment a took a breath, as though he were debating whether or not to say something. "Say Miguel, you say your Dad never talks about his past. Well, my mom is pretty secretive too. I was wondering… if there's some sort of connection? Sometimes I wonder, that by not understanding my mom, I'm missing a part of myself. Maybe you and I and Ali can figure some stuff out together?"

I understood what Ethan meant, and often felt the same myself. But after all my sister and I had been through with Calderone, I had learned that some things are so painful, you just want to bury them forever. Something terrible must have happened to my father years ago, something he never wanted to revisit. I certainly didn't want to be the one to uncover it and bring all that pain to the surface. But at the same time, that missing puzzle piece of my life nagged at me. But if I just dug a little at the past, and didn't tell my father… and knowing Ali, she'd be totally on board with an investigation. I shrugged my shoulders. "Sure, why not?"

Ethan grinned. "Great! Why don't you and Ali come over after school tomorrow? When we were unpacking I found a box of memorabilia from Thailand. Maybe that's a good place to start?"

We walked up the front steps and into my house to start homework, not even noticing a shadowy figure watching us from across the street.


	3. Chapter 3

The sunset blazed orange and red, the sand was soft beneath my feet, and the ocean glimmered, but nothing compared to the beauty of the girl at my side. I had known Roni Tubbs my entire life, but only recently had I begun to see her has more than just my sister's best friend. I wanted so much to kiss her, to feel the softness of her lips on mine, and her body pressed against me. But would Rico kill me? Would _she_ kill me? I paused and faced her, and we stared deep into each other's eyes. It was as though she was begging me without words, but I was still unsure. I held back.

She smiled at me, and finally spoke in her sweet, melodic voice. "I'm so glad to be with you, Miguel!"

"You- you are?" I stammered. No girl had ever been happy to be with me, other than the time Britt Wheeler and I were assigned to do a project together for history class. And that was only because I did all the work.

She nodded. "Oh yes, there is nothing sexier than a brilliant violin player with beautiful brown eyes!"

I could have sworn I heard my sister calling my name somewhere in the distance, but I ignored it. No way was I going to let Ali spoil this moment. I leaned forward ever so slowly, bringing my lips closer to Roni's. But just then something began shaking me violently. An earthquake? In Florida? What the hell? My eyes snapped open, and it was over. I was in the dark in my bed, and the only thing in my arms was my pillow. I should have known it was just a dream. But I didn't have time to wallow in my misery, I flipped over to find Ali kneeling on the bed beside me, a panicked look in her eyes.

"Ali?" I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table- 3:00 in the morning. This had better not be one of Ali's ridiculous pranks, I thought. Not only did she interrupt my sleep, but also a dream that I desperately did not want to end.

"I heard a noise, outside! Mom and Dad left an hour ago for that late night stakeout, and I'm worried!"

I rolled over and put the pillow over my head. "Go back to sleep, it's probably just one of Mrs. Harris' million cats."

"Miguel- I didn't want to say anything, but… I saw someone outside earlier today., never seen him around before. He looked like he really didn't want to be seen, then drove off in a strange black car. I thought he was waiting for a neighbor, but…" I could see her digging her nails into the palm of her hand, the way she always did when she was scared. This was genuine fear I heard in her voice, and I wasn't about to laugh off a potential disaster. Not this time.

I threw off the covers and jumped out of bed, put on my glasses, and straightened the Miami Beach Senior High Orchestra T-shirt and black gym shorts I wore as pajamas. Gently, I placed my hands on my sister's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "Don't move, okay?" I kept my voice calm and quiet.

"But Miguel!" her pleading eyes suddenly became fierce. I knew Ali was tough, and didn't like to be told to stay out of anything, but my parents had left me in charge. And I would do whatever it took to keep her from being hurt ever again.

"Stay here, just stay low and quiet, okay?" I pulled my phone off my dresser and handed it to her. "If I'm not back in 5 minutes, call Mom and Dad."

Her tiny body shook with fear, but I could tell she was trying to hide it. She simply nodded, her eyes glistening.

I tiptoed out of my bedroom, and carefully stepped in my parents room, retrieving a revolver from the locked box in my mother's closet. Although my father had taught me to use it properly, and I had practiced many times, my hand still shook when I felt the cold, heavy steel in my hand. Ali always was a better shot, but bringing her with me was still out of the question.

I crept down the stairs and stealthily slid the back door open. If not for the half moon above in the clear night's sky illuminating the ground below, it would have been pitch black out. My eyes quickly adjusted to the low light. I walked through the patio, scanning the lush foliage around me for any signs of movement, and strained my ears to hear any sound. I could hear only the song of the nightbirds and the whisper of branches swaying in the breeze. I froze. Out of the corner of my eye, I swore I saw a shadow dart away. On silent, bare feet, I stepped past a Buddha statue, its grin appearing eerie in the moonlight. Slowly, I rounded a corner, clinging close to the outer wall of the house, until I faced the orange tree that grew below our bedroom windows. If anyone were trying to get in the house, they could easily climb the tree. I knew that was exactly how Ali had managed to sneak out several times to see that moron Ryan Rivera.

There was a distinct rustling within the leaves. Was it the wind? No, it had to be something heavier. Something, or someone, was there.

I tightened my grip on the revolver, holding my hands as steadily as I could. "Who- who's there? I'm armed, so you'd better not try anything!" I did my best to sound as bold as my father would in these situations, but I knew I probably just sounded like a terrified kid. I'd never be nearly as strong as my father. I had only fired a gun in the safety of the range, with my parents at my side. Could I really do this if I had to?

The rustling became louder and moved down the tree. My heart pounded in my ears and my shaking finger positioned on the trigger. Then, my heart nearly leapt from my throat as something dropped from the tree. For a moment it was as though the world was on fast forward. Should I shoot? Luckily I restrained myself, and quickly realized it was just Mrs. Harris' cat, Lucky that had jumped from the tree. He purred and rubbed against my leg.

"Damnit," I grumbled, breathing a sigh of relief. I bent down and scratched Lucky behind his ears. "Well, you sure earned your name tonight. I told Ali it was just a cat."

I turned back to the house. Maybe now I could get a couple more hours sleep before school. I was relieved, but something still nagged at me. I knew I had seen a shadow, one that wasn't Lucky. And Ali's instinct were usually spot-on. Someone was out there. But who?


	4. Chapter 4

"That'll be two dollars."

Ali handed the man at the beachside hotdog cart two crumpled bills. I watched with disgust as she sloppily applied gob after gob of bright yellow mustard to her hot dog and took a big bite. Mustard dripped down her chin and she quickly mopped it up with a napkin.

"I don't know how you can eat that stuff, Ali. Do you have any idea what's in that?"

"I swear Miguel, you sound just like Roni. You sure you two aren't sneaking around together? Seems like you're a match made in tofu heaven."

I felt my face burn red hot. How did Ali know how I felt about Roni? Sometimes I swore she could read my thoughts.

"Oh calm down, Romeo. I'm just teasing," she giggled. "Besides, this hot dog is no worse than that day-glow bowl of sugar you have for breakfast every morning."

"For your information, Alison, Fruit Loops has a quarter of your recommended daily value of riboflavin."

"Hmph, riboflavin," she mumbled, rolling her eyes. She took the last bite of her dog and tossed the foil wrapper in the nearby trash. "So you wanna tell me what we're doing here?" She sat at a picnic table facing the beach and I took a seat beside her.

I knew Ali would ask, but I hadn't really considered how to tell her everything. That was unlike me, I was the type who said very little because I often carefully considered my words. "So here's the thing Ali, have you ever wondered about Dad?"

She narrowed her eyes at me in confusion. "Wondered about Dad? I don't understand."

"I mean, other kids have grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. They know where their parents came from, where they went to school, where they worked… all we know is Dad came to work for the police department in 1980. That's it- nothing else whatsoever. And any time one of us would ask questions, Mom and Dad would shut us down fast and change the subject. But now this Ethan kid is here, and his mom knew Dad in Southeast Asia! He said he'd help us find out some stuff."

Ali stared out toward the ocean, her expression blank. Finally she stared deep into my eyes. "Miguel, did you ever think maybe Dad doesn't tell us stuff for a reason? Maybe it's just too painful."

"Yes, I have, but-"

She cut me off. "Are you planning to tell your kids about how you shattered your leg in an explosion? And that while you were in the hospital recovering from anesthesia some deranged drug dealer grabbed you and chained you up, and held you hostage? And how he blew his brains out in front of us? Will you tell them what that same deranged drug dealer did to _me_? You really want to re-live that someday? Or do you want to leave it buried where it belongs?"

I considered her words carefully. Part of me did want to leave it behind me, safely tucked away. God knows I had tried over the past few months, but those ghosts never leave my side. They continue to manifest as anxiety and nightmares, and likely always would. "Ali, it will never stay in the past, you know that. It changed who we are. Its going to follow us, wherever we go in life. Whatever happened to Dad, it shaped him. And we're his children so it shaped us too. It's part of us."

She said nothing, but stared out at sea, her raven curls gently blowing in the breeze. I could see a flash of red fingernails as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

I continued. "Ethan and I had planned to meet at his house today to see if his mom had any clues lying around. Old pictures or whatever. But today at school, he told me he found something, and he wanted to talk about it somewhere that our parents wouldn't overhear. I gotta be honest, he looked a little freaked out."

Ali was still hesitant. "Freaked out? I'm sorry, I don't understand why you of all people want to play Nancy Drew and open this can of worms."

I took a deep breath. "There's something else. Last night, I saw something outside. Not just Lucky. I swear I saw a bigger shadow run into the bushes and disappear. I had a sense I was being watched too. I know Mom and Dad have enemies, but it's a little strange that someone is creeping around just as soon as this Ethan kid and his mom show up on the scene. Maybe digging a little deeper will help us figure out what's going on."

Her reluctance faded and turned to fear, the same fear I had seen the night before. Slowly she nodded. "Okay, fine. Let's go ahead and see what we can find out. But if all this goes to hell, it's on your head."

As If on cue, Ethan arrived. "Hey guys," he said breathlessly, as though he had been running. He slid onto the bench facing us.

I wished he'd get to the point, but I was nervous too. What in the world did he have to show us?

He drew in his breath and stared at us, his eyes darting from Ali to me and back to Ali. Was that pity in his eyes? "My mom was married twice before she met my dad. I've always known that. Her second husband was some sort of criminal and got locked up for a long time. I never knew anything about the first one, but last night when I got home, I saw my mom staring at this photograph, smiling. When she saw me, she shoved it back in the box of photo albums, but I fished it out late last night. It's… well, see for yourself." He pushed the small photograph across the table. I picked it up and Ali leaned toward me for a better view.

It depicted a man and a woman kissing. He wore a dark suit, and she wore what appeared to be some sort of ornate, traditional dress.

Ethan spoke up. "The woman is my mom, when she was young. Wearing a traditional Thai wedding dress. And the man…"

Ali gasped. "That's Dad!"

It was like I was in a trance. "My father…and your mom… were…"

"They were married. Your dad was my mom's first husband. Guys, I'm really sorry. I was up all night debating whether I should tell you. I mean, I knew Mom was married before, but you had no idea."

Ali just stared at the picture. "I wonder why they broke up? Do you think they have kids?"

Ethan shook his head. "No, I only had one brother, from Mom's second marriage. But he was killed in an accident before I was born."

I sighed and passed the picture back to Ethan. "Ali, maybe we should just ask Mom. what happened. She might tell Dad we were snooping, but at least we'd know the truth and get to the bottom of this."

Ali stood and angrily slammed her hands on the table, her eyes blazing with anger and glistening with tears. "Or maybe we should just forget it, Miguel! What if she doesn't know about this? You want to wreck Mom and Dad's marriage? I told you we never should have gone digging around in the first place!"

"Ali, wait!" I stood in front of her and tried to grab her shoulder, but she shrugged off my hand and stomped away. I knew better than to go after her.

"Damnit," Ethan said under his breath. "I'm sorry, buddy. I really didn't mean to start trouble."

I rubbed my temples and gave him a small forced smile. "Don't worry, Ethan. Maybe this was a mistake. Let's just forget that picture existed, okay?"

What had I been thinking going around and opening up old wounds just to satisfy my selfish curiosity? All it was going to do was cause trouble. Besides, what did my Dad's first marriage have to do with some creep stalking Ali and I? Besides, that was probably just a figment of my paranoid imagination. All I had to do was forget everything I had just seen, and everything would be normal again.


	5. Chapter 5

Slowly but surely, life was teaching me how messy the truth can be. I knew Ali was right, no matter what, we had to sweep this whole May Ying situation under the rug as quickly as possible and play dumb. The consequences for my parents were just too much, and quite frankly, it was not something I wanted to deal with either.

At first, I was frustrated to have Ali mad at me, especially when it also meant admitting I was wrong. Just the month before, she had given me the silent treatment for a whole week when I used her favorite camisole to polish my violin (what the heck _is_ a camisole anyway?).

So I made sure to go home that night armed with half a dozen jalapeño poppers and a copy of _Pretty Woman_ , prepared to beg for forgiveness. Fortunately, I didn't have to say a word; it seemed both Ali and I had no desire to talk about what we had discovered. Maybe it could really stay forgotten. We sat together in the living room, watching the movie, until she fell asleep leaning on my shoulder.

The next day at school, I went straight to my locker with Ali at my side. My eyes darted side to side nervously.

"Worried you're gonna see Ethan?" Ali asked as if she could read my mind. "You're gonna have to see him sometime."

I shook my head. "No I don't. I know the air duct system in this place inside and out. I can navigate my way around without _ever_ being seen!"

Ali just stared, wide-eyed.

"Ali, I'm kidding. Of _course_ I'll have to see him. We'll just- just pretend yesterday never happened. That the photo doesn't exist. No problem."

She shrugged her shoulders. "If you say so. I gotta get to class, can you pick me up after choir practice this afternoon?"

"Yeah, no problem. I'll be here late anyway for orchestra rehearsal. Mom said we should pick up Thai food on the way home."

"Yum, won't argue with that! See ya later, brother." Ali took off don the hall.

I slammed my locker door shut, only to find myself face to face with that varsity jacket wearing moron Jake Ballard. I groaned inwardly, seeing his obnoxious face ginning at me. "Hey bro!"

"I'm not your 'bro'," I mumbled.

"Okay. Hey, buddy!"

"Not your buddy either. What the hell do you want Jake?" I felt all my muscles tense. If Jake wanted a fight, he was going to get one.

He put an arm around me, but I shrugged it off. "I just need a tiny little favor. I'm just gonna need to borrow your history notes and math homework. I've been so busy with football training, and now that'm going to ask Roni to the dance, I don't have time for all that nerd stuff."

I spun around to face Jake. "Wait, hold up, _you're_ asking Roni out? As in Veronica Tubbs?"

"The very one," he sneered, seeming amused by the shocked expression on my face. Then he burst out laughing. "Oh I get it, you've got a thing for her! Aw, well better that you just forget about it, Castillo. You are permanently in the friend-zone with her."

Just then I noticed Britt Wheeler, the head cheerleader, sauntering down the hall. As usual, Britt's expression appeared as though she had just sucked on a lemon.

"Hey Britt! Castillo here thinks he's got a chance with a hot chick!" Jake laughed.

Britt laughed, tossed her hair over her shoulder, and approached me, staring straight into my eyes. "Hot girls like myself date guys on the football team, not nerdy refugees like yourself."

I felt the red hot ball of anger that had been simmering since yesterday begin to boil over. I took a step toward her. "Believe me, Britt, I'll stay as far away from you as possible. Who knows what disease I could get?"

Jake turned bright red and grabbed me by my shirt collar, slamming me up against the locker. "You'd better watch your mouth, four-eyes." He growled through gritted teeth. "I'll expect that homework to be ready for me by tomorrow." He released me forcefully, pushing me to the ground, and walked away with Britt, her obnoxious, squealing laugh echoing through the hall.

I stood and dusted myself off. Part of me wanted to run after Jake, to tackle him down and beat the crap out of him. Despite my smaller stature, I knew I could do it with my martial arts training. But I restrained myself as I always did. The look of intense disappointment I would surely get from my father was all the deterrent I needed. Besides, Jake and Britt were probably right. Roni _was_ beautiful and popular and smart and sexy… meanwhile I was boring and quiet, barely noticeable. Girls like her didn't date orchestra nerds. If our mothers weren't best friends, she probably wouldn't give me the time of day.

"Hey buddy, what the hell was that all about? You okay?"

I was startled to hear the voice I had been trying to avoid, but turned around to face Ethan.

He went on, "I was just coming in the door and I could see him grabbing you like that from all the way down the hall. Who was that guy? And that girl?"

"That was Jake Ballard and Britt Wheeler. Our families have… history. And Jake is going to ask Roni out." I held my breath, hoping Ethan wouldn't start a conversation about our parents and that damn photograph.

"Man, this place is a total freak-show," Ethan remarked under his breath, shaking his head as we walked toward our first class. "And what do you mean Jake is going to ask Roni out? I thought _you_ were going to get the guts to ask her to the dance?"

"It doesn't matter, Ethan. I need to focus on my music and my grades so I can graduate next year, get a scholarship, go to a good college, and forget this whole god-awful year ever happened. And besides, Jake was right. Girls like Roni don't date guys like me."

"You think she's gonna say yes to some asshole like Jake? C'mon Miguel, Ali already agreed to go to the dance with me."

I skidded to a stop. "What? You? And my sister?"

Ethan grinned. "Take it easy, we're just friends. Think of it this way, if she's at the dance with me, she's not out with that Rivera guy you hate so much. And if you and Roni are with us on a double date…"

He had a point there, I couldn't hold back a small smile. "Alright, Ethan, I'll think about it."

There was an awkward silence between us for a moment as we walked, as if the issue of our parents was a gigantic elephant in the room neither of us wanted to acknowledge. Finally, he spoke. "So, how are you and Ali doing? After, well, you know."

"Okay I guess. I think we'd all just like to forget the whole thing. If my dad wanted us to know stuff, he'd tell us." I was eager to change the subject. "So- you never told me, why did you guys leave San Francisco?"

Ethan shrugged and a sadness fell over his face. Immediately, I regretted asking him. "My- my dad died last year, it was a hit and run while he was crossing the street. They never found the guy that hit him, but it doesn't matter I guess. It wouldn't bring him back, would it? Anyway, it really broke my mom's heart, so when her company offered her a position in Miami, she jumped on it. She said a change of scene is good for us."

I nodded as I held the classroom door open for us. What could I say to Ethan? Here I was upset over some skeleton in my Dad's closet, and yet his father had been taken from him so unfairly.

The day seemed to drag on forever. Nothing ruined a day like a confrontation with Jake Ballard early in the morning, and unfortunately, I had many days begin that way in my life. Finally, the bell rang and I headed for my locker. My head was swimming with thoughts- Ali and Ryan, Ali and Ethan, SAT's, the dance, Roni, and as much as I had tried to push it aside- my father and May Ying. After-school orchestra rehearsal was normally the highlight of my day, but today I just wanted to go home, run upstairs to my room, shut the door and go to sleep.

"Miguel?" I heard a sweet, familiar voice behind me.

I turned around. I know it sounds corny, but it was as though the sun was suddenly shining. Roni stood before me. Her hair was pulled back into a neat pony tail, her hazel eyes sparkled and her bright smile lit up the whole hallway. Her lips that I had dreamed of kissing for so long glisten with some sort of gloss.

"Oh, hey Roni. What's up?" I asked casually, trying not to stare like a creep.

"I was wondering if you knew where Ali was?" She asked. Her voice was like music.

"She's got some choir practice today," I responded, slinging my violin case over my shoulder.

"Oh. Well, see ya!" she seemed a bit disappointed and turned to walk away.

Just then I noticed a poster for the Valentine Dance on the wall behind her. I could envision Ethan's disapproving face in the back of my mind, and Britt's evil laugh. It was probably hopeless, but shouldn't I at least try? "Hey Roni, can I ask you something?"

She brightened a bit and turned back to me. "Of course!"

"Well, I was wondering, if you're not busy… do you want to go to the dance with me? I mean, if you're busy, I totally understand. I mean, it might be boring, or maybe you're going with someone else…" I fidgeted nervously and stared downward, as if I were asking out the floor tiles instead of her.

She clasped her hands together and squealed with joy. "Yes! Oh my goodness, yes!" She threw her arms around me and hugged me tight.

"You mean, you really want to? What about Jake Ballard?"

She made a disgusted face, as though she had smelled something rotten. "Jake Ballard? What about him?"

I focused back on my shoes. "Well, he said he wanted to ask you too."

"Me? Spend a whole night with Jake, and his empty-headed friends? No thanks. Jake would probably be pawing at me all night like some pervert. You know, girls call him the octopus."

I was confused. "Octopus?" I wondered out loud.

She giggled. "Because his hands are all over the place?" She took a step closer and looked straight in my eyes. "I'd much rather go with you."

A grin spread across my face that was so big, it almost was painful. My hand slipped into hers and it felt so natural. I felt like I was floating on air, nothing could bring me down now.

That evening, when I pulled my car into the parking lot of the Bangkok Palace restaurant, Ali had a sly grin on her face. "Well Casanova, I got a text from Veronica. Seems she has a date to the Valentine's Dance. It's about damn time, big brother! She's had a crush on you since sixth grade!"

I felt my face flush. "Sixth grade? She's had a crush on me for over three years and you never told me?"

"What can I say? Alison Castillo can keep a secret!" She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek before hopping out of the car. "I'm happy for you, big brother. Your first date! And you finally have something to do on a Friday night!"

"Very funny, Alison," I grumbled as I opened the door to the restaurant.

My parents had been ordering food from this Thai restaurant since before I was born. The elderly owners, Mr. and Mrs. Changtai, had watched Ali and I grow up. Over the years, they had attended many of my violin recitals and Ali's choir shows. Even now when we came in, Mr. Changtai would ask us about school and Mrs. Changtai would come running out of the kitchen and give each of us a hug and a lollipop as if we were still six years old. But we adored them, and other than crazy old Mrs. Harris next door, they were the closest thing to grandparents we had. So it was surprising when we found a different man behind the counter, someone who was close to my mother's age. He looked up when the bell on the door rang as we entered.

"Oh, hello! Table for two?" he asked cheerfully. He spoke in nearly perfect English with only a slight accent.

"Um, no, we have an order to go. For Martin or Gina Castillo?" I responded.

"Where are Mr. and Mrs. Changtai?" Ali didn't waste words as she looked around.

The strange man gave her a big, friendly smile. "They're just on vacation this week. I'm their- nephew."

Ali and I exchanged a subtle, suspicious glance. The elderly couple had never mentioned any family before, and they hadn't taken a vacation in- well, ever! There was something odd about this overly-friendly stranger. I had sensed a slight hesitation when he said he was their nephew, and that raised red flags. My gut was screaming that something was wrong. Sure enough, I looked down and Ali was digging her crimson red nails into the palm of her hand.

Quietly and quickly, I took the food, paid, and escorted a visibly shaken Ali from the restaurant and into my car. Her hands shook as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Something's not right, Miguel. That man…"

"Calm down, Ali. The Chaingtais are on vacation, good for them."

Ali shook her head, staring straight ahead. "No, listen to me! It's him… the man! The one who was staring at the house, the one who was outside that night…" Her eyes glistened with tears. I knew she was still traumatized by Calderone, that had to be it. Why would some random guy at a Thai restaurant be stalking us?

I took her hand in mine and leaned forward until our foreheads touched. "Ali, it's okay. You're just on edge still, we both are. But you're safe, I won't let anything happen to you ever again. I promise."

I turned the key in the ignition, but something still nagged at me. I could only pray I was right, and that I would be able to keep that promise.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day at school was peaceful. I felt a bit of relief when I saw Ali laughing and joking with her friends. Maybe she had forgotten about the stranger at the Thai restaurant after all. In the morning, I walked to class with Roni and felt her tiny hand slip into mine. Did this mean she was my girlfriend? The thought gave me a warm feeling of joy I hadn't experienced for a long time. When we passed Jake in the hallway, he glared at me threateningly while Britt scoffed. I knew I shouldn't feel satisfied by that, but I did.

That afternoon, I walked Roni home and we paused on her front porch. I could have gazed into her beautiful, warm eyes forever.

"Call me tonight?" She asked.

"I will, can't wait to hear your voice." In a a rare moment of boldness, I placed my hands around her waist and gently pulled her close. I brought my lips to hers and kissed her softly, feeling her melt against me. I never wanted the moment to end, but when it did, I gave her one more soft kiss on her forehead.

I watched the door close behind her, wanting to reach out and grab her and kiss her once more, passionately this time, but of course I held back. I could hear my father's stern voice in the back of my mind: "Take it slow, Miguel, she's only fourteen," he'd warn me.

By the time I reached home, I felt like I was on cloud nine. I turned the key in the front door lock, surprised it was open. "Damnit Ali," I mumbled. Our parents had warned us to keep the door locked at all times if we were home alone. I walked inside and set down my backpack. "Hey Ali!" I called up the stairs. "You should have seen the look on Jake's face when he saw me holding hands with Roni today. He was so busy giving me a dirty look that he ran right into a pole!" I laughed at the memory.

But it was at that moment that I realized how eerily quiet the house was. No footsteps, no music blaring from Ali's room, and no Ali making a smart remark in response to my story about Jake. Where the hell was she? I glanced around. There was a chair haphazardly knocked over in the kitchen, a sweater thrown on the floor of the entryway, the unlocked door… it was as though someone had made a quick exit. I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Ali's number.

"C'mon, Ali, pick up!" I whispered to myself under my breath. I prayed that she would answer and give me a hard time for worrying, but instead her voice mail picked up.

 _"Hey, this is Ali, you know what to do…"_ followed by a long beep.

"Alison, call me back right away!" I yelled into the phone and slammed it shut. Where could she have gone? My hear pounding, I ran next door and rang Mrs. Harris' doorbell. I was not looking forward to confronting our elderly, senile next door neighbor. My mother always warned me to be polite to Mrs. Harris, after all, she had been very kind to my father years ago when he lived all alone. But it wasn't always easy since she seemed to think I was some Satan worshiping drug dealer named Marco. But maybe she had seen Ali.

The door opened and Mrs. Harris stood, staring at me disapprovingly. A cat trotted out from behind her and rubbed against my leg, purring. "Marco, are you here to sell me drugs? Because if you are, I'm calling the police!"

"No, Mrs. Harris, I'm not, and my name is-" I stopped myself. "Actually, it's not important. I'm looking for my sister, Ali. Have you seen her today?"

Her face lit up. Mrs. Harris adored Ali. "Ah yes, Alison! I saw her just a little while ago. She was getting into a black car with some man. She didn't look very happy about it. Is that man a friend of yours from your cult? It wouldn't surprised me."

"No, no, he isn't. He's no friend of mine. Thanks, Mrs. Harris." I turned and ran to the house to grab my car keys. Black car? I knew exactly who that belonged to, someone who was nothing but trouble from the start. Time to take care of business.

When I got in the car, I tried desperately to call Ethan, but he didn't answer his phone either. I made a mental note to try calling his house later. By the time I pulled up to the garage where I knew Ryan worked, my head was steaming with anger. I knew that guy was trouble! He must have found out about Ali going to the dance with Ethan and gotten jealous. Yeah, that had to be it. Why hadn't Ali listened to me? And what was he doing to her? I entered the office and a man in blue overalls with the name "Chuck" embroidered on them eyed me and peered outside at my car. He chomped on a cigar. "What can I help ya with? Oil change?"

"Um, no, I'm looking for Ryan Rivera. Is he here?"

Chuck regarded me with suspicion, but called over his shoulder. "Hey Rivera! This kid's here to see you!" he turned back to me and gestured to a door behind him with his pen. "He's out back."

Outside I saw two feet sticking out from under a car. Ryan slid out with a wrench in his hand and looked up at me in surprise. "Big Mike! What brings you here?" He stood and dusted his hands off on his blue overalls. He held his hand out to shake mine, but I kept my arms folded in front of me. "You finally here to get some new rims?" His voice was cheerful.

"Where is she, Rivera?" I demanded.

"Who? Ali?" He looked genuinely puzzled, which surprised me, but my anger took over. I grabbed him and shoved him up against the car.

"Don't play dumb with me. Where's my sister? I told her to stay away from you. She's fourteen and you're jealous that she's going to a high school dance with someone close to her age? You're sick!"

Ryan pushed back and pinned me against a wall, securing my wrists. "Jealous? Miguel, you have a pretty active imagination. We are friends, that's all, so there's nothing to be jealous of! Look, I tried calling Ali earlier and she didn't answer. If something is going on, you'd better tell me now."

He released me, leaving me a bit off balance. I wanted to run back to my car, but something made me stay and explain. "I don't know for sure, but I think someone took her. From our house- it looked like there was a struggle. Mrs. Harris saw her get in a black car with some guy, maybe against her will. I need to find her, so if you know where she is, you'd better tell me before I call my father and…"

"Look, Miguel, I've been here all day, I swear. Has anything strange been going on lately? Ali told me the other day she was freaked out, someone watching the house, but she felt like she was being paranoid, you know, after everything."

"She said someone was outside. And then we went to the Bangkok Palace and she swore the guy was working there…" Something in my brain clicked. "Oh shit…but why…"

"Bangkok Palace?" Ryan repeated, frantically tossing his wrench to the side and running for the door. "C'mon! We gotta go over there now!"

I ran after him. "But why would…"

He paused and stared me down. "Why? _Why?_ Kid, you can't begin to know how many enemies someone in your father's position has. Your parents may have tried to shield you from reality, but I know the truth. And so should you after what Calderone did… to Ali _and_ my father. Now let's go!"

I pulled my phone from my pocket. "No way, I'm calling my parents."

He grabbed my hand. "If this guy has her, she's in danger. You really wanna wait for the cops to come across town and get a warrant or whatever they have to do?"

"We don't even know who this man is! He's probably armed! And you want us to go in there and investigate like some sort of Cuban Hardy Boys? You're nuts. Ali's life is on the line!"

Ryan opened the trunk of his black Trans-Am, revealing a locked case that he opened, revealing a handgun and a knife. The very same ones Ali had stolen to rescue me from Calderone. "Don't worry. I got us covered. Now get in the car."


	7. Chapter 7

"That the guy?" Ryan parked the car across the street and pointed inside the restaurant window. I could barely make out the figure of the familiar, yet strange, man that Ali and I had seen the day before.

I nodded, frantically texting Ethan, maybe he was with Ali? Still no answer- it really wasn't like him to not reply. "That's him alright. You really think if he's got Ali he'd have her in there?"

"I dunno man, but it's as good a place as any to start. C'mon, let's go out back."

I opened my mouth to reply when my phone began playing "Break on Through" by The Doors, the ringtone I had designated for Roni.

"Could that be any louder?" Ryan asked angrily through gritted teeth

"It's Roni… maybe she knows where Ali might be? Maybe she's heard from her."

Ryan considered that. "Alright, but make it quick. We don't have time for you to chat with your girlfriend."

I ignored his snide remarks and answered my phone. "Roni? What's going on?"

"I could ask you the same thing! Where is Ali? She was supposed to come over and study math with me, but she never showed and she's not answering her phone!" Roni's voice was a combination of confusion and frustration.

My heart began to pound once more. "Roni, just stay right where you are. Don't go anywhere, okay? I'll call you in a little bit." I tried to keep my voice calm and even, but I knew my fear would show through.

"Miguel, what's going on? You're scaring me!"

I glanced over my shoulder and Ryan who tapped his watch impatiently. "Don't be scared Roni, I'll call you soon."

"Miguel…"

But I hung up, figuring I could explain everything later. Ryan was growing more impatient by the minute, and Ali was counting on me. We ran across the street and to the back of the building where there was a set of large, steel double doors near the trash bin. I pulled but they were locked tight.

"Look! Up there, there's a window." Ryan pointed above the door where there was a small window tilted open. He knelt down. "Get on my shoulders," he ordered. "And then get up on the edge of the trash bin. You can probably see in the window from there."

Who did this guy think he was, telling me what to do? I made a face and started to argue.

"Hurry up! You're smaller than me, it just makes sense. You could probably fit in the window."

I frowned, but this was no time to fight with Ryan. I stepped up and used his shoulder to boost myself up on the trash bin. Carefully, I balanced on the edge of the bin and shuffled over to the window. I craned my neck to peer inside the building. I squinted to see inside the dim back room, and finally made out the outline of a small person.

"Ali!" I whispered through the slightly open window.

She turned around. Her clothes and hair were in a disarray and her hands and feet were tied. Seeing her like that… it nearly sucked the breath right out of me. An image of several months before flashed in my mind. I could almost feel the scratching of the ropes Calderone tied around my wrists, so tight it practically cut off my circulation. I could feel his hot breath on my face as he threatened me, and the sting of his fist when he punched me. The searing pain of my broken leg... I felt like I was going to be sick as I began to sweat and struggled to catch my breath. _Damnit, anxiety, not now…._

"Miguel!" Ali cried.

"Hang in there Ali, we're gonna…" I paused a moment when I noticed Ali wasn't alone. Beside her, was another figure, taller, but also tied up. "Ethan?!"

Ethan looked around nervously and kept his voice low. "Yeah buddy… this guy… he's trouble."

"Who the hell is he? And what does he want with you?"

"Not a lot of time to explain, but his name is Ma Sek. He was married to my mom after she thought your dad had been killed. But he turned out to be some sort of criminal…"

Ali spoke up. "And Dad was the one who arrested him. At least that's what he told us. He is hell-bent on revenge." There was fear in her voice that I was unaccustomed to hearing. "He's going to kill us, Miguel! He wants Mom and Dad to show up with the cops, then he's going to kill us all!"

I stuck my chin out stubbornly. "No he's not… I won't let him, Ali. Oh, and Ryan's here with me."

Ali's face lit up. "Ryan's here?"

I would have rolled my eyes if the situation weren't so dire. "Yeah, and we're gonna get you out of there."

"Miguel! What's goin' on up there?" Ryan called from below, keeping his voice down as much as possible. "Give me an update!"

I turned to look down at him. "They're here! Kidnapped! By some guy that hates my father."

Ryan wrinkled his brow. "There's a lot of people that hate your father, isn't there?"

"Would you shut up and help me out?"

"Here's what we'll do… you climb in the window then open the door and let me in, and we'll untie everyone… hopefully before that crazy guy comes back! Hurry!"

I hated being ordered around by Rivera, but I didn't have any better ideas and time was a luxury we didn't have. It was a tight squeeze fitting through the window, but I managed to pull myself over, hang briefly from the window frame before swinging onto a stack of boxes and finally jumping to the floor.

I ran to the doors and fiddled with the lock before pushing them open. The dark room suddenly flooded with light and Ryan flew in, gun in hand.

Ryan and I didn't speak but we knew we had to work quickly. Who knew how much time we had until Ma Set came back to check on his hostages. I began untying my sister while Ryan went to help Ethan. My mind was completely focused on freeing Ali and getting out of there that I noticed nothing else around me. That was a mistake… "Never let your guard down," my father often said. I had broken that rule, and the next thing I felt was the thud of a fist making contact with my head and the sound of Ali screaming. I must have blacked out for just a moment, but when I opened my eyes, the man Ethan called Ma Sek, the strange man Ali had been so fearful of, was standing over me, pointing a gun straight at my head. The stare he focused on me was one of pure hatred. He must have seen my father in me- so many people do, and at times like this, it's a curse. After all, my father had destroyed this man's marriage, ended his profitable life of crime… why wouldn't he hate me?

My heart was pounding. This wasn't the first time I had stared death in the eye. But I was no cat, I didn't have nine lives. But I had to save Ali. "Ryan, Ethan! Take Ali and run!" I cried and Ma Sek gave me a sharp kick to the ribs.

He grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me up, holding his gun to my head. "Listen kid, your father ruined my life now I'm gonna ruin his," he growled in my ear.

"Ali, go! Get out! Tell Roni I love her and go!" I could barely breathe, no less get the words out.

"No way, Miguel, we won't leave you!" Ethan was firm and took Ryan's knife in his hands.

Ryan pointed his own gun at Ma Sek. "Let him go or I'm gonna give you a mouthful of lead, pal."

Ma Sek laughed maniacally. "I spent twenty years in federal prison. I was a ruthless killer involved in organized crime. You think I'm afraid of a few kids playing with Daddy's guns?"

Ryan focused on his aim, and I could tell he was trying to calculate whether he could hit Ma Sek and miss me. Just then I made eye contact with Ryan, and it was as though I could read his thoughts. I nodded subtly, took a deep breath and stomped on his foot while bending his finger back as hard as I could. When I heard the snap of his finger, he screamed and released me. I gave him a quick elbow to the ribs before scrambling to Ali. My ribs hurt like hell, probably cracked or bruised, but I ignored the pain. Ryan dashed after us toward the door but Ma Sek managed to compose himself enough to fire a shot at us. Without hesitation, Ryan returned fire, and Ma Sek fell motionless. At that moment, I heard Ryan also groan and crumple on the ground.

"Ryan!" Ali screamed, nearly in tears, and my own heart felt as though it would stop.


	8. Chapter 8

I looked down at Ryan's leg and saw a red stain quickly spreading his pants leg just above his ankle. I thought fast and wrapped my sweatshirt around it, tying to keep it elevated, while Ethan dialed 911 and shouted for them to hurry. Ali kneeled by Ryan's side and took his hand.

"Thanks, Ryan. For everything." She said softly, running a fi

I peered over at them out of the corner of my eye as I put pressure on Ryan's leg. "Yeah…um, thanks Ryan. If you hadn't been here, I think we'd all be gonners."

The corner of Ryan's mouth turned up in a smile. "Thanks, Mikey. It means a lot, especially coming from you."

The next few days were a blur. Lots of questioning at OCB and at home. And our parents and May Ying even sat Ethan, Ali and I down and told us everything about the past. Well, almost everything, I suspect there are even more things my father isn't quite ready to tell us about his histoy. But maybe some things are best unsaid.

At first, I wasn't sure if we'd still go to the Valentine dance at school, but Ali insisted, saying that a night out would let her burn off some steam and feel like a normal teenager again, and Ethan and Roni agreed. Before heading over to the dance, the four of us stopped for dinner at Crusty's Pizzeria. Ethan and I ordered while the girls headed made a stop in the restroom. We sat at a table and the waitress set down a pitcher of soda in front of us.

Ethan leaned back and smiled. "Ya know, after all this craziness and all we've been through, maybe we're kind of family. You know, brothers. At least we got that out of it."

"Yeah, in a weird, twisted, dysfunctional way. But what about you and Ali?"

"She's just a good friend, more like a sister… don't think I could ever see her as a girlfriend, so don't worry. Besides, I think she's got a thing for that Ryan guy."

I made a face and slouched. "That's what worries me."

"He's a good guy, Miguel. I don't think he'd try anything. Well, maybe when she's older."

I thought back to the moment Ma Sek had ahold of me, and Ryan and I exchanged that look, as if in the moment, we were connected in our minds. It was weird, but maybe he was almost a brother too… and with what Ethan had just said about Ryan and Ali… I pushed the thought away.

Ali slid in beside Ethan and Roni sat next to me, giving me a soft kiss on the cheek and squeezing my hand.

"I'm starving," Ali announced. "Hope the food comes quick."

"We got a medium pepperoni and sausage for you and Ethan, and a veggie delight for me and Roni," I assured her. "Oh, and I didn't forget your jalapeño poppers."

"Sounds delicious! And Miguel, if you behave yourself I might be willing to share some of those jalapeños. So what were you boys talking about?"

Ethan gently squeezed Ali's arm. "I was just saying how it's nice to finally have some family, ya know?"

Ali smiled brightly and nodded. "Family, I like that." She looked at me. "That's what you've always wanted, isn't it Miguel? Looks like we always had it. Who says family has to be blood?"

"You're right Ali." I raised my glass. "To family!"

"To family!" They replied, raising their own glasses.


End file.
